Hogwarts classes and textbooks

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 182642

Carol earlier:
> > They don't take Astronomy for five years. The core curriculum,
required for all first- and second-years, is Potions, 
Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms (classes taught, perhaps
coincidentally, perhaps not, by the Four Heads of Houses), Defense
Against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic.

Jerri responded: 
> It's true that Astronomy class isn't mentioned often, but there are
reasons I think that they take Astronomy for their first 5 years at 
Hogwarts:
> 
> 1.  In SS, page 133, when describing their classes it says:  (Page 
> numbers from U.S. hardback editions)
> 
> "They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every 
> Wednesday at midnight."
> 
> (True, it doesn't call the class Astronomy, but what else would it
be?) <snip>

Carol responds:

Good point, and the Lexicon agrees with you that Astronomy began in
first year. However, as there's no textbook assigned for Astronomy for
*any* year, in contrast to the other classes (for which they either
use the same books they bought during first year or buy a new one
because it's a new course or a new teacher or a highter level), so
that apparent Astronomy reference could be a Flint. There's no
reference to Astronomy in CoS, which does refer to all the classes I
listed as the core curriculum.

Jerri: 
> 3.  In PoA, page 318, they all have an Astronomy exam:
> 
> "Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; ..."
> 
> (And Astronomy wasn't listed as a "new" class, so I again assume
that it had been a consistant part of their class work from the
beginning, although not often mentioned.)


Carol:

So we know for sure that they were taking it in third year, but aside
from the brief reference you quoted above and the one to the Astronomy
Tower, which they know how to find (as it's the tallest tower in
Hogwarts, though, that wouldn't be hard), there's no solid indication
that they took it in the first and second year. 

We also know that they signed up for new classes over Easter break
during second year, with Harry choosing the same classes as Ron. Percy
mentions Divination, Muggle Studies, and CoMC. Arithmancy and Ancient
Runes are also mentioned. But the number of new classes they're
required to take is not specified, and Hermione signs up for
"everything (CoS Am. ed. 252).

In PoA, Hermione says, "Ooh, good. We're starting some new subjects
today," and Ron points out the conflicts on her schedule (Divination,
Muggle Studies, and Arithmancy all at the same time, PoA Am. ed.
97-98). They head off to Divination and then to CoMC, which we know
are new classes because Percy mentioned them in CoS, and, of course,
Harry has figured out by now why Hagrid sent him "the Monster Book of
Monsters" as a birthday present. We're told that they have a hard time
finding the way to North Tower, and obviously they've never been in
Trelawney's classroom or even seen her before. But Astronomy, which is
apparently taught at night (or at least, the exam occurs at night),
has never been shown as an actual part of their schedules. We never
see them taking it or studying for it until the Astronomy essays in
OWL year (the confusion over Jupiter's moons). Nor does this
night-time class seem to interfere with their sleep or studying.
There's no reference to having to go to Astronomy after detention or
Quidditch practice, either. Even so, since they have an Astronomy exam
in PoA and an Astronomy OWL in OoP, they must have been taking it
since at least third year.

As for not being mentioned as a new class, their first Astronomy
lesson in PoA (whether it's a new class or an old one) is not
mentioned at all in PoA. Nor is Astronomy shown, like all the other
brand-new subjects (DADA, Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, herbology,
and History of Magic) in SS/PS.

Jerri:
> I feel pretty sure that there were other occasional references to
Astronomy throughout the books, for example, when they did the 
Astrology portion of Divination they said or thought something about
what they had learned in Astronomy.

Carol responds:
It would be helpful if you can find that quote, along with the year
when it takes place. For example, if the remark is made in GoF or OoP,
it won't prove anything because we know that they were taking
Astronomy in third year. The question is whether it's a new class or
part of the core curriculum that all students take from first through
fifth years. If, OTOH, the remark is made early in PoA, especially in
the first month or two of the first term, it would be solid evidence
that, despite the lack of references (we never see them in class and
no book is mentioned), they must have been taking it, as you believe,
since first year. Till then, I'll hold to my own view that it was one
of the new classes in third year though I certainly see your position
and you could well be right.)

BTW. the Lexicon has an interesting comment with regard to the list of
books that first-years are required to buy, including FB and "Magical
Theory" and the books that are used every year, such as "One Thousand
Magical Herbs and Fungi": "some of these books make up what might be
considered to be a standard library for any witch or wizard." I think
that comment answers your question regarding FB. As I said in my
earlier post, I think that it and FB are standard reference works that
the students use in writing their essays or else they provide
background knowledge that they won't necessarily acquire in their
lessons. Oddly, "One thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi," which must
surely be the Herbology text, seems to be consulted as least as often
for Potions as for Herbology, and the actual Potions book, "Magical
Drafts and Potions," is never referred to at all after it appears on
the booklist. Whether JKR is as confused as Harry, who thinks that he
can find a reference to Bezoars in "One Thousand Magical Herbs and
Fungi," or whether it's because Snape never uses the book to teach and
always puts the potions directions on the board, I don't know.

Anyway, Astronomy class, like the original Potions book and the
usually forgotten Lestrange brother, Rabastan, seems to spring to
JKR's mind only occasionally.

Carol, who thinks that JKR should have shown an actual Astronomy
lesson, if only to introduce the teacher and give Harry a genuinely
useful subject to study


> 
> So, I hold by my belief that the Hogwarts core curriculum for the 
> first 5 years included Astronomy.
> 
> Jerri
>